UCIPE director Ruslan Surujiu (left) and Termoelectrica director Iurie Razlovan
Under the terms of the contract, the contractor will be responsible for the design, construction, installation and commissioning of the equipment. The new CHPPs are to be put into operation in two years from the date of signing the contract.
In fact, the task is technically very challenging, because the contractor will have to ensure commissioning and adjustment of 6 kV and 110 kV switchgears, 6/110 kV power transformers, and cable transmission lines for connection to the power grid.
In addition, the tender documents stipulate that the contractor will do everything necessary to connect the two new CHPPs to natural gas supply systems, centralized heat supply, water supply, sewerage; to high, medium and low voltage electric lines and other systems.
In recent years, news about plans to build new CHPPs in Chisinau have been periodically appearing, so it may give the illusion that many energy facilities have already been built. In fact, this is not the case. Over the last more than 50 years, not a single new CHPP has been built. The same information is simply repeated about the prospect of building two new CHPPs of small capacity. And thus acquiring energy independence. But in fact, construction has not even started yet….
Initially, the tender was announced in December 2022. Bids were accepted until February 21, 2023. The new CHPPs were to be commissioned in 2025. The construction time was estimated at 26 months (construction of the facilities for 24 months, warranty testing for 2 months). However, the tender was not held at that time due to lack of interest, and it is known from unofficial sources that only one bid was submitted.
Therefore, preparations for a second tender have started, which should be finalized any day now. Additional informational steps have been taken to attract more international companies with the necessary technologies.
According to the plans, these two highly efficient CHP plants will be geographically located within Termoelectrica SA in the Ciocan sector. They will be part of Termoelectrica, which will decommission the outdated CHPP-1 (in the central part of the capital), which started operating back in 1951.
Another, not so old, CHP-2 is located in the Ciocan sector. It was put into operation in 1976 and since then its power units have been overhauled several times. Today it provides heat to the residents of Chisinau.
The construction of the two new CHP plants is part of the Second Project for Improving the Efficiency of the Centralized Supply System (PIESACET-2). It is promoted by the Ministry of Energy and implemented through the “Consolidated Unit for the Implementation and Monitoring of Energy Projects” (UCIPE), which organizes international tenders to find a contractor. Loan financing in the amount of 81 million euros is provided by the World Bank. The beneficiary will be the state enterprise Termoelectrica.
It should be emphasized that the tender procedure is carried out according to the rules of the World Bank. The evaluation of technical proposals is followed by the evaluation of price proposals of companies (from those who have passed the technical qualification).
In October 2024, UCIPE announced the re-tender and by November, 10 companies were interested in participating. Their representatives came to Chisinau for a specially organized meeting. UCIPE director Ruslan Surujiu and Termoelectrica director Iurie Razlovan answered questions and gave explanations regarding the terms of reference. The guests visited Termoelectrica’s production workshops.
At the request of potential participants, the application deadline was extended until February 21, 2025. As we can now see, only four out of 10 initially announced companies participate in the tender.
